Clock-case.



No. 644,757. Patented Mar/6, l900.- E. C. BARTON.

CLOCK CASE. (Appliation filed Mar. 9, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIJAH O. BARTON, OF EAST HAMPTON, CONNECTICUT.

CLOCK-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,757, dated March 6, 1900.

App i at n fi d arch 9, 1898. Serial No. 673,183. (Nomodeld To (0% 1071 0112, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELIJAH O. BARTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Hampton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and usefullmprovements in Clocks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,wherebyany one skilled in the art can make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a clock in which a gong may be used to produce the effect of chimes and also as a component part of the clock structure to inclose the works.

To this end my invention consists in the combination of the several parts making up the clock and case and the details of such parts and their combination, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the clock embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation with part cut away in section to illustrate construction. Fig. 3 is a detail view of part of the clock-case with parts broken away to show the construction of the striking device.

In the accompanying drawings my invention is shown as embodied in a clock which is supported on a standard; but the main feature of the invention is applicable to other forms of clocks which may be supported in other ways than on a standard.

The principal feature of the invention resides in making the clock-face of resonant material, with its edge turned back to form a part of the inclosing case, within which the clockworks to a greater or less extent are located.

In the accompanying drawings the letter ct denotes the standard; 5, the side part of the clock-case; c, the clock-face, and cl the back of the case.

The time-train of the clock may be of any convenient construction, and the side part b of the case may be circular in outline or any other desired shape, this main or side part of the case, however, forming the immediate sup port for the movement. The case 0 is secured to the front end of a center post e, thus leaving the edges of the case free to vibrate under the blow of the hammer of the striking mechanism. On the face are displayed numerals to denote the hours, as usual, the arbors of the clock movement extending through the hollow center post to the outer surface of the face, the hands being secured to the arbors to denote the time in the ordinary manner. The back 01 of the case may be formed also of resonant material, with the edges turned toward the front, so as to more or less inclose the side of the case. construction of the parts two sounding devices of comparatively-large size are provided, and the hammerfis arranged to sound the hours by the operation of the usual strikingtrain on either or both of these sounding devices.

It has been shown by experiment that the effect of a cathedral-gong may be obtained by the use of these gongs' arranged as de scribed and that a loud sound can be produced from a clock having a time and striking train of comparatively-small size.

The peculiar construction of parts in which the face of the clock is formed of resonant material, so as to be utilized as a gong or bell in striking the hours, enables the clock to be made in a number of fanciful designs and the face of a wide range of materials, as not only metal but glass, porcelain, and the like may be utilized in making the face and the combined bell or sounding device in one piece.

Although the form of clock herein illustrated has both the front and the back of the case made with the in-turned flange, so as to enable a double stroke to be given, it is not essential to the invention, although such a construction is preferred, as it enables two different notes to be struck either in alternation or at one time, and thus produces an attractive effect.

When the rear part of the case is formed of resonant material, it is supported from a central arbor or bracket in a like manner as described for the case of the clock.

In the form shown the hammer f is borne on a tilting figure g, which is supported on the clock-frame and has a downward-extending portion g, in which a slot g is formed. A trip device It, formed by an extension of the hammer-tail, is located in this slotted part, and in its rocking motion, caused by the By this rotation of the striker-wheel, serves to tilt the figure and cause each hammer to strike upon the gong. In the form shown the hammers f are borne on the end of a flexible arm f, formed of a spiral spring closely wound, and are held slightly out of contact with the gong. The figure supporting the hammers stops in its tilting movement at a point which causes the hammers to be thrown against the gong with a recoiling blow. I

I claim as my invention- 1. In a clock, the combination of a case or framework adapted to support a clock-movement, a gong secured at its center to said frame, rotating spindles extending fromsaid case or framework through said gong and concentrically therewith, and hands carried by said spindles, substantially as described.

2. In a clock, the combination of a case or framework supporting -a clock-movement, a spool or bracket projecting from the front side of the case or framework, a gong supported at its central section by said spool or bracket, wherebysaid gong is rigidly attached to said case or framework, rotating spindles extending from said case or framework through said gong and concentrically therewith, and hands carried bysaid spindles, substantially as described.

3. In a clock mechanism, in combination, a frame adapted to support the clock-movements, a hollow post secured to said frame, arbors extending through said post, time-indicating devices secured to said arbors, and a gong bearing a dial secured to said post and partially inclosing the frame.

at. In a clock mechanism, in combination, a frame adapted to support a clock-movement,

gongs each composed of resonant material and secured to the frame, a hollow post secured to the frame and adapted to support one of said gongs, arbors projecting from the clock-movement through said post, time-indicating devices supported outside of the gong on said arbors, and a dial arranged on said gong.

5. In a clock mechanism, in combination, an innerring or case adapted to support the clock-movement, a gong secured to said case, a striker secured to the case and located outside of the gong and adapted to be operated by the clock-movement, a hollow post secured to the case, a gong secured to the post, arbors projecting through the post and operated by the clock-movement, and time-indicating devices supported outside of the gong on said arbors.

6. In a clock mechanism, the combination with a face composed of resonant material and having time-indicating characters displayed thereon, of devices supported in operative relation to said characters and adapted in con nection therewith to indicate different fractions of time.

7. In a clock, the combination of a case or framework supporting a clock-movement, a gong rigidly secured in operative relation to the framework, rotating spindles extending from the case or framework through said gong, and hands carried by said spindles, substantially as described.

ELIJAH O. BARTON. Witnesses:

ARTHUR B. JENKINS, ERMA P. COFFRIN. 

